Heavy metal fixation of lead-contaminated soil using Morchella mycelium

Yazhou Wang; Renhao Tan; Li Zhou; Jie Lian; Xudong Wu; Rong He; Fan Yang; Xinsheng He; Wenkun Zhu

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117829

Heavy metal fixation of lead-contaminated soil using Morchella mycelium

Environ Pollut. 2021 Nov 15:289:117829. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117829. Epub 2021 Jul 27.

Authors

Yazhou Wang¹, Renhao Tan¹, Li Zhou¹, Jie Lian², Xudong Wu¹, Rong He², Fan Yang², Xinsheng He¹, Wenkun Zhu³

Affiliations

¹ School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, Sichuan, 621010, PR China.
² State Key Laboratory of Environment-friendly Energy Materials, National Co-innovation Center for Nuclear Waste Disposal and Environmental Safety, Sichuan Co-Innovation Center for New Energetic Materials, Nuclear Waste and Environmental Safety Key Laboratory of Defense, School of National Defence Science & Technology, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, Sichuan, 621010, PR China.
³ School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, Sichuan, 621010, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Environment-friendly Energy Materials, National Co-innovation Center for Nuclear Waste Disposal and Environmental Safety, Sichuan Co-Innovation Center for New Energetic Materials, Nuclear Waste and Environmental Safety Key Laboratory of Defense, School of National Defence Science & Technology, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, Sichuan, 621010, PR China. Electronic address: zhuwenkun@swust.edu.cn.

PMID: 34333266
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117829

Abstract

With the exploitation of lead-zinc deposits, lead content around mining areas has seriously exceeded the recommended level. The most challenging problem is how to reduce lead contamination in soil efficiently. In this study, we developed a method to remediate lead-contaminated soil by adding Morchella mycelium. First, we compared the repair effects of mycelium and hyperaccumulator by conducting pot experiments. Then, we investigated the mechanism through which mycelium repairs lead-contaminated soil by conducting simulation experiments. Results showed that using mycelium was a more efficient way to repair soil than using hyperaccumulator. Compared with the untreated group, mycelium reduced the lead content of crops by 34.83 % and raised dry biomass by 134.05 % when lead addition was 800 mg/kg. After mycelium fixation, soil catalase, urease, cellulase, and sucrase activities were significantly enhanced, and the bioavailability of lead decreased significantly. The lead solution exposure simulation test showed that Morchella mycelium immobilized lead due to its extracellular secretions. That is, mycelium secreted metabolites and lead to form salt crystals, reducing bioavailable lead content. In addition, Morchella mycelium restoration may effectively improve soil fertility and increase crop yields. Thus, mycelium may be used successfully in alternative green repair methods for environmental heavy metal remediation.

Keywords: Heavy metal fixation; Lead pollution; Microbial remediation; Morchella; Soil.

MeSH terms

Biodegradation, Environmental
Cadmium
Environmental Pollution
Metals, Heavy* / analysis
Mycelium / chemistry
Soil
Soil Pollutants* / analysis

Substances

Metals, Heavy
Soil
Soil Pollutants
Cadmium